THREE-DIMENSIONAL DEPOSITION DEVICE AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL DEPOSITION METHOD

• US 20170144248A1
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: OZAWA, Yoshiharu, YOSHIMURA, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/32 of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/368 Temperature or temperature gradient, e.g. temperature of the melt pool
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/50 Treatment of workpieces or articles during build-up, e.g. treatments applied to fused layers during build-up
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/73 of powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/222 for motion along a direction orthogonal to the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/224 for motion along a direction within the plane of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/37 Rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/43 pulsed; frequency modulated
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/44 characterised by the configuration of the radiation means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/53 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2003/245 Making recesses, grooves etc on the surface by removing material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2203/03 for feed-back
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2203/11 temperature, temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2207/01 Composition gradients
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0093 combined with mechanical machining or metal-working covered by other subclasses than B23K combined welding or cutting procedures or apparatus B23K28/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/034 Observing the temperature of the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/04 Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/046 : Automatically focusing the laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0626 : Energy control of the laser beam B23K26/0622 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/064 : by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/14 : using a fluid stream, e.g. a jet of gas, in conjunction with the laser beam; Nozzles therefor B23K26/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/144 : the fluid stream containing particles, e.g. powder
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1476 : Features inside the nozzle for feeding the fluid stream through the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 : Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 : using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/188 : involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 : Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

A three-dimensional deposition device and a three-dimensional deposition method used to manufacture a three-dimensional object with high accuracy are provided. A three-dimensional deposition device for forming a three-dimensional shape by depositing a formed layer on a base unit, includes: a powder supply unit which supplies a powder material by injecting the powder material toward the base unit; a light irradiation unit which irradiates the powder material feeding from the powder supply unit toward the base unit with a light beam so that the powder material is melted and the melted powder material is solidified on the base unit to thereby form the formed layer; and a control device which controls operations of the powder supply unit and the light irradiation unit.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional deposition device for forming a three-dimensional shape by depositing a formed layer on a base unit, comprising:

a powder supply unit which supplies a powder material by injecting the powder material toward the base unit;

a light irradiation unit which irradiates the powder material feeding from the powder supply unit toward the base unit with a light beam so that the powder material is melted and the melted powder material is solidified on the base unit to thereby form the formed layer; and

a control device which controls operations of the powder supply unit and the light irradiation unit so that the light beam is irradiated to the powder material in a space between the base unit and the powder supply unit, and the molten body with droplet state which is the powder material melted in the space drops from the space to the base unit and solidified.

2. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising:

a powder introduction unit which includes a plurality of storage units storing the powder material supplied to the powder supply unit and switches the powder material to be introduced to the powder supply unit by switching the storage units.

3. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 2,

wherein the powder introduction unit includes three or more storage units and is able to introduce three types or more of powder materials to the powder supply unit, and

when the powder material introduced to the powder supply unit is switched from a first powder material to a second powder material, the control device forms the formed layer by the first powder material, thereafter forms the formed layer by an intermediate powder material having high affinity with both the first powder material and the second powder material, and thereafter forms the formed layer by the second powder material.

4. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 2,

wherein the powder introduction unit includes two or more storage units and is able to introduce two types or more of powder materials into the powder supply unit, and

when the powder material introduced to the powder supply unit is switched from a first powder material to a second powder material, the control device forms the formed layer by the first powder material, thereafter starts the supply of the second powder material to the powder supply unit while supplying the first powder material to the powder supply unit, and changes a supply ratio by increasing a supply amount of the second powder material while decreasing a supply amount of the first powder material.

5. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 2, comprising:

a machining unit which includes a tool and performs a machining operation on the formed layer by the tool.

6. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1,

wherein the powder supply unit is concentrically disposed on an outer periphery of the light irradiation unit and is formed so that a powder passage causing the powder material to flow therethrough is formed between an inner tube surrounding a path of the light beam of the light irradiation unit and an outer tube covering the inner tube.

7. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 6, comprising:

a shield gas supply unit which is disposed on an outer periphery of the powder supply unit concentrically with the outer periphery of the light irradiation unit while surrounding an outer periphery of a powder material injection area from outside the powder passage and injecting a shield gas toward the base unit.

8. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising:

a focal position adjustment unit which adjusts a focal position of the light beam emitted from the light irradiation unit.

9. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 8,

wherein the focal position adjustment unit is an mechanism that moves a position of the light irradiation unit.

10. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 8,

wherein the focal position adjustment unit is an mechanism that moves a focal distance or a focal position by adjusting a light concentrating optical system of the light irradiation unit.

11. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising:

a temperature detection unit which detects a temperature of a surface of the formed layer,

wherein the control device controls intensity of the light beam output from the light irradiation unit in response to a temperature measurement result of the surface of the formed layer obtained by the temperature detection unit.

12. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 11,

wherein the control device specifies a temperature detection position based on a temperature measurement result of the surface of the formed layer obtained by the temperature detection unit and properties of the base unit and the formed layer, and controls the intensity of the light beam output from the light irradiation unit based on a detection result at the specified position.

13. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising:

a plasma emission detection unit which detects a plasma emission state of the surface of the formed layer,

wherein the control device controls the intensity of the light beam output from the light irradiation unit in response to a measurement result obtained by the plasma emission detection unit.

14. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising:

a reflected light detection unit which detects reflected light from the surface of the formed layer, wherein the control device controls the intensity of the light beam output from the light irradiation unit in response to a measurement result obtained by the reflected light detection unit.

15. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising:

a movement mechanism which relatively moves the light irradiation unit and the powder supply unit with respect to the base unit,

wherein the control device determines a path through which the light irradiation unit and the powder supply unit pass with respect to the base unit by the movement mechanism.

16. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 15, comprising:

a shape measurement unit which measures a surface shape of the formed layer,

wherein the control device controls operations of the powder supply unit, the light irradiation unit, and the movement mechanism in response to a surface shape measurement result of the formed layer obtained by the shape measurement unit.

17. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1,

wherein the light irradiation unit is able to adjust a profile of the light beam.

18. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1,

wherein the light irradiation unit is able to switch a mode of emitting the light beam in the form of pulse waves and a mode of emitting the light beam in the form of continuous waves.

19. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising:

a powder collection unit which collects the powder material supplied from the powder supply unit and is not melted by the light beam.

20. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 19, comprising:

a separation unit which separates the powder material collected by the powder collection unit in accordance with the property of the powder material.

21. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising:

a powder introduction unit which includes a storage unit storing the powder material supplied to the powder supply unit and an identification unit identifying the powder material stored in the storage unit and introduces the powder material of the storage unit identified by the identification unit into the powder supply unit,

wherein the control device controls the introduction of the powder material from the powder introduction unit to the powder supply unit in response to a powder material identification result of the identification unit.

22. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 21,

wherein when the control device determines that the powder is appropriate, the control device introduces the powder material from the powder introduction unit to the powder supply unit and determines a formed layer forming condition in response to the powder material identification result of the identification unit.

23. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 22,

wherein when the control device injects different types of powder in a mixed state, the control device determines a formed layer forming condition based on a content of an instruction of injecting different types of powder in a mixed state.

24. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 22,

wherein the formed layer forming condition is at least one of a shape of each formed layer, a type of powder, a powder injection speed, a powder injection pressure, a laser beam irradiation condition, a temperature of a molten body, a solid body cooling temperature, and a base unit moving speed.

25. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 22,

wherein the control device is connected to an external device via a communication line and is able to change a formed layer forming condition based on an instruction input from the external device.

26. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 21,

wherein when the control device determines that the powder is not appropriate, the control device stops the supply of the powder material from the powder introduction unit to the powder supply unit.

27. The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 26,

wherein the control device transmits information telling the powder is inappropriate or information of an inappropriate powder to an external data server.

28. A three-dimensional deposition method of forming a three-dimensional object by depositing a formed layer on a base unit, comprising:

irradiating a powder material with a light beam in a space between the base unit and a powder supply unit while injecting the powder material from the powder supply unit toward the base unit to melt the powder material in the space, dropping the melted droplet powder material from the space to the base unit, solidifying the melted droplet powder material on the base unit to form a formed layer on the base unit, and depositing the formed layer.

29. The three-dimensional deposition method according to claim 28,

wherein a position of the formed layer is detected and a focal position of the light beam is adjusted in response to the position of the formed layer.

30. The three-dimensional deposition method according to claim 28,

wherein a temperature of a surface of the formed layer is detected and intensity of the output light beam is controlled based on a temperature measurement result of the surface of the formed layer.

31. The three-dimensional deposition method according to claim 28,

wherein a plasma emission state of the surface of the formed layer is detected and the intensity of the output light beam is controlled in response to a plasma emission measurement result of the formed layer.

32. The three-dimensional deposition method according to claim 28,

wherein reflected light of the surface of the formed layer is detected and the intensity of the output light beam is controlled in response to a reflected light measurement result of the formed layer.

33. The three-dimensional deposition method according to claim 28,

wherein a mode of emitting the light beam in the form of pulse waves and a mode of emitting the light beam in the form of continuous waves are switched in response to the formed layer to be formed.